


The Lives Left Behind (DISCONTINUED)

by Ausomerus



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempt at Humor, Bad Parenting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Foreshadowing, Gen, I call the area beyond Hallownest the Wastelands, I should never be allowed near a keyboard, PK is only a light at this point, Rewrite, good parenting, or OCs, or any writing software
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ausomerus/pseuds/Ausomerus
Summary: A rewrite of my fic "Adventures of a Family".  Summary:  A group of vessels discovers what family means when they are adopted by the Nailmasters.
Relationships: Nailmaster Mato & Sly (Hollow Knight), OC & Cornifer (Hollow Knight), OC & Nailmaster Mato (Hollow Knight), OC & OC, OC & Siblings (Hollow Knight), OC & Sly (Hollow Knight), OC & The Knight (Hollow Knight)
Comments: 139
Kudos: 35





	1. Escape

_ In the Abyss _

A small masked child crawled out of an abandoned black egg that was laying in the frigid darkness. Two horns waved away from her mask a short distance; two smaller horns underneath them pointed towards the ground on each side. She looked to her side to see one sibling crawl out of the egg after her. Three horns protruded from the top of his mask, the middle one slightly bigger than the others; a side horn on each side of her brother’s mask seemingly reaching for the sky. A thought clung to her mind as her brother stared at her.

“Sibling?”

She started to reply but was cut off by the presence of a pale white light at the top of the darkness. She felt something pull at her insides as she looked at it as if to be saying,  _ Come to me, children. _

She went to reply to her brother but found him already starting to climb to the top of the Abyss. He looked back to her, another thought coming to her mind.

“Coming?”

She nodded, jumping up to the platform her brother was on. She looked up as someone screamed in her head.

“Don’t want to die!”

A sibling falling from above came into her view. She was about to jump from the platform to save her kin but was stopped by her brother grabbing her arm. She looked back to him, he shook his head. She heard a thought in her head as she heard her sibling’s mask break upon impact.

“Sorry. Can’t lose you too.”

She looked at the ground, a black tear snaking its way down her mask from her eye. Her sibling wiped the tear from her face. Another thought flowed through her mind.

“Sorry. Save others if safe.”   
She nodded. They continued up the platforms, quickly reaching the middle-point of the Abyss. She turned to her brother and nodded as if to say,  _ We’ve got this! _

He nodded in response before watching her jump across the gap to the next platform. He ran towards the edge of the platform, jumping near the edge. He silently cheered as he grabbed the ledge of the platform where his sister had been waiting for him. His sibling grabbed his arms, starting to pull him over the edge. He started to panic as he felt his sister’s grip loosen. He heard his sibling scream inside his head as she lost her grip on him and he started to fall.

“Sibling!”

They desperately reached for each other as he continued falling. He started to cry, closing his eyes.  _ Don’t want to die! _

He felt immense pain bloom in the back of his mask, along with pain going through his left eye. He screamed in agony.

His sister sat in the middle of the platform they had both tried to get to. Black tears rolled down her mask as he went silent.  _ Should have waited. He’s dead. Should be me. Should have held better. Should be stronger. Could have saved. My fault. _

She got up and looked around a bit.

She ran to the edge of the platform, a spine from nearby catching her leg as she went to jump. She silently screamed as she fell. She closed her eyes, accepting what would happen to her.  _ Don’t care. Make it or not. Sibling dead. My fault. _

She felt immense pain bloom in the back of her mask. She heard something slam into the ground near her before she lost consciousness.

_ A few hours later _

She got up, wincing as pain shot through her body. She grabbed onto one of her dead siblings’ long horns, it breaking off into her hand. She saw her brother that fell get up. She ran over to him, wrapping him in a hug. Black tears ran down her mask in rivers as her brother heard her thoughts in his head.

“Thought you… Sorry. Should have tried harder.”

Her brother shook his head as she heard a thought in her head.

“You tried best. Me okay. Did a good job.”

His sister nodded, wiping the tears from her mask. She handed him the broken horn and he heard a thought in his mind.

“Need to protect self.”

He nodded, watching as she grabbed another long horn and broke it off of one of their siblings’ masks. They nodded to each other and started to climb again.

_ Quite a bit of cautious climbing later _

She got her brother’s attention, then pointed to a tunnel in the side of the Abyss.

“That way. No light above anymore.”

He nodded, watching as she jumped into the tunnel. The gap wasn’t too big, so he quickly jumped into it too. They headed further into the tunnel.

They found themselves in a room with many dark bugs that crawled along the walls and floor. One of the bugs bumped into his sister, causing black gas to escape from her mask. He looked at her, concerned. He pointed to a nearby room and she nodded. They headed into the room, a stairway reduced to rubble being their only way up.

They saw an old large beetle of some sort standing in the room. The beetle noticed them. His sister jumped in front of him, waving the horn in front of them, hoping to scare the beetle. The beetle chuckled.

“Little one, I don’t think you’d have much fun fighting me. I’m too old and tire too easily.”

She put the horn into her body, carefully watching the beetle as she did so. The beetle spoke.

“Little ones, would you like to go to Dirtmouth?”

She tilted her head.  _ Dirt… mouth?  _ The beetle continued.

“It’s a small town on the surface. It doesn’t get many visitors, so I think you two would like it there. You two seem scared, so it could be a good place for you two to live.”

She nodded. The beetle lowered, allowing her to help her brother onto the beetle’s back. She climbed onto the beetle’s back with her brother’s help. The beetle sped into the tunnel, making his way to Dirtmouth.

_ A bit later _

The beetle stopped in a building of some sort, allowing the two children to get off safely by lowering to the ground. He looked to the two children, who were looking around the building in amazement and awe. He chuckled.

“I haven’t seen anyone this fascinated with this old building in years!”

He watched as the two children got onto the elevator and disappeared from his view.

The sister out of the two siblings inspected a lever in the building for a bit. She gently tapped it with her weapon, jumping back as it flipped. She looked behind her to see her brother already running outside. She ran after him, relieved to see nobody in the town.

She felt lightheaded and started to sway back and forth. Her brother looked to her, concerned. He tried to grab her as she fell forward, feeling sick as he heard a  _ crack  _ as she hit the ground face-first.

He turned as he heard a bug coming from a nearby building. The bug wore a red headband and red armor, along with a greyish cape.

“I’ll see you soon, Dad.”

The door to the building closed, leaving the bug to look around. The bug noticed the two children, becoming concerned upon noticing the sister laying on the ground, unmoving. He walked over, voice soft.

“Little one, are you alright?”

The brother of the siblings jumped in between the bug and his sister. He held his makeshift-weapon in front of the bug, trying to appear as threatening as possible. The bug calmly spoke, hoping to calm the child down.

“Little one, it’s okay. I won’t hurt your sibling. I just want to make sure they’re okay. Is it alright if I pick up your sibling?”

The brother of the siblings watched him closely.  _ Sister needs help. The bug might hurt her though. _

He hesitantly nodded, watching carefully as the bug picked up his kin. The bug turned to him.

“You can follow me to my adoptive dad’s shop if it’ll make you feel safer.”

He nodded, following the bug into a shop with a fly standing behind the counter. The fly started to speak but cut himself off.

“Mato, did you for-?”

The fly ran over to the bug, who was apparently named ‘Mato’ and looked at his sister. Mato spoke.

“Sly, I found the two little ones outside. The little one behind me might not be okay with you helping patch their sibling up. You might be able to patch them up once they feel comfortable around you, though. If you can, please patch up the other little one.”

Sly nodded and turned to the brother of the siblings.

“Hello there. Is it alright if I bandage your injuries?”

The brother hesitantly nodded before watching him zoom into the room behind the counter, then zoomed back into the room, carrying some bandages in his arms. He walked over to him and spoke.

“Alright, hold still for a moment. I’m going to bandage your injuries.”

Sly zoomed around him, quickly bandaging the cracks in his mask. The brother of the two siblings walked over to Mato, watching as he carefully wrapped his sister’s injuries to her mask and leg. Sly spoke up after Mato had finished wrapping her injuries.

“Little one, you and your sibling can stay here tonight. I’ll get you both a bed made.”

He nodded, watching as Sly quickly made him and his sister separate beds. He watched as Mato gently picked up his kin and laid her down in her bed. He crawled into the bed Sly made for him and quickly fell asleep.

Mato and Sly headed outside to talk. Mato was the first to speak.

“Dad, there’s something wrong here.”

Sly nodded, allowing Mato to continue.

“I mean they’re more scared of bugs than new hatchlings! The little one that was walking was so scared that I was going to hurt their sibling when I left your shop and saw them that they threatened me with the weapon they carry. I think something happened to them, Dad. Something that no hatchling should have to go through.”

Sly nodded and replied.

“We can’t send them back to wherever they came from, Mato. The cracks in their masks, that’s not some normal injury hatchlings get.”

Mato nodded.

“If it’s okay with them, I’d adopt them. They need somewhere safe to grow, not wherever they came from.”

Sly nodded.

“It’d take time for them to heal from what they’ve been through, Son. I think you’d do great.”

Mato smiled.

“Thank you, Dad.”


	2. Adopted

The next morning

Mato got out of the makeshift bed Sly had prepared for him late last night. He walked into the kitchen; smiling as he saw his dad cooking pancakes.

“Good morning, Dad.”

Sly turned to him.

“Good morning, Mato. Do you want to go wake up the kids? Breakfast will be ready shortly.”

Mato nodded before heading into the living room. He glanced over to the bed where the brother of the siblings had been sleeping. He frowned as he saw him tossing and turning in his sleep.

His brows furrowed as the brother jumped up, haphazardly swinging his weapon around the room. Mato gently spoke upon realizing the youngster was shaking slightly.

“It’s alright, little one. You’re safe here.”

The brother continued shaking. Mato sat down in front of the child and held his hands out to his sides.

“Would you like a hug?”

The brother of the two siblings hesitantly walked closer to him. Mato slowly hugged the child, allowing for the youngster to decline the hug if he wanted. The brother buried his face in Mato’s fluffy collar.

Mato started to rub his back as the child started to silently cry, the youngster’s body jerking slightly with each sob.

A while later, the brother started to squirm in Mato’s grip. Mato released the sibling from the hug, allowing the brother to run back over to his sister. Mato watched as the brother of the siblings gently grabbed his sibling’s hand. A train of thoughts made themselves known in his head.

“Make it. Have to. Please. Can’t lose you.”

Mato’s brows furrowed. His thoughts weren’t usually so fragmented. He noticed that his thoughts were like a newly hatched grub learning to speak. _There’s only two hatchlings around, one of which is unconscious at the moment. Could the brother be speaking telepathically? If so, do all the hatchlings like them have this ability? I haven’t heard of a bug speaking telepathically, but the Old Light used something similar in her hivemind._

Mato shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts. He got up and walked over to the siblings. He sat down next to the brother and gently spoke.

“Little one, can you speak?”

The child looked to him before shaking his head. Mato continued.

“Okay. I was wondering because I had a thought that didn’t sound like my own. It sounded like a hatchling who was learning to speak and figured that since you and your sister are the only hatchlings around at the moment, that maybe, it could have been you somehow.”

The brother nodded. A thought flowed through Mato’s head like a river.

“Was me. Sorry. Will try not to.”

Mato shook his head.

“It’s alright, little one.”

Mato looked to the doorway leading into the kitchen to see Sly standing in the doorway. Concern was written all over his face.

“I can tell something happened, but none of you have to tell me what happened if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Mato walked over to the sister of the siblings and gently woke her up. The sister frantically looked around the room, calming down upon noticing her brother. Mato spoke, voice quiet to keep from alarming either of the hatchlings.

“Do you two want to get breakfast from the kitchen?”

The siblings nodded, quickly heading to the kitchen doorway. Mato was taken aback when their disposition shifted as they reached the doorway. They drew their nails, carefully heading into the kitchen. Mato watched as they put their nails into their inky-black bodies once they had confirmed that nobody would harm them. He walked into the kitchen and helped the hatchlings get their breakfast.

He led the hatchlings over to the table and waited for each to sit down in a chair. He frowned as they didn’t sit in a chair, instead turning to him and staring at him. He spoke.

“Little ones, have you two never ate at a table before?”

The two children pointed to the table. Mato and Sly simultaneously heard a thought in their heads.

“Is that?”

Sly looked around before Mato pointed at the table in the middle of the room.

“Yup, that’s a table.”

The kids nodded. Sly looked to Mato, confusion evident on the fly’s face.

“Mato, I need to speak with you. Kids, stay in here.”

Mato nodded. He followed his dad into the main room, which doubled as the shop area. Sly frowned.

“Mato, I heard thoughts in my head that weren’t mine. They weren’t violent, unlike the Old Light’s screams of rage. I don’t think it’s the Old Light, however, if my eyes turn orange, you _cannot_ hesitate to kill me.”

Mato shook his head.

“Dad, you said it yourself, the thoughts didn’t sound like the Old Light. You’re not infected.”

Sly thought aloud.

“Then what were those thoughts?”

Mato faintly smiled.

“Probably the hatchlings.”

Sly’s eyebrows raised in disbelief.

“The hatchlings can speak like the Old Light?”

Mato nodded. His head whipped to the doorway as he heard a commotion from the other room.

“I think we should go check on them.”

Sly nodded, before following Mato into the other room. They chuckled a little bit when they saw what had caused the ruckus. Both of the siblings had covered themselves head to toe in sugary syrup. Mato walked over to the children and squatted to be eye-to-eye with them. He wanted to keep from scaring the hatchlings.

“I need to give you two a bath. You wouldn’t like it if the syrup dries onto your shell, trust me.”

The siblings tilted their head as a thought flowed through Mato and Sly’s heads.

“What’s a ‘bath’?”

Mato internally frowned. _Who in Wyrm’s name were these children’s parents?_ Sly walked out of the room. _The parents of these children are never seeing ‘their’ children again._

“A bath is where you get clean by either sitting or standing in water. You use a rag to clean dirt or in this case, syrup, from your body.”

Both siblings nodded. A thought flowed through Mato’s head.

“Bath now. Syrup sticky. No like.”

Mato nodded.

“I’m going to the bathroom to start the bath for you two. Would you two like to bathe at the same time or at different times?”

The two hatchlings thought for a moment. A thought flowed through Mato’s head.

“Same time. Feel safer.”

Mato nodded.

“Alright, I’ll be right back.”

Mato headed into the shop area and looked outside. He saw his dad outside, sparring with a taller bug. He walked outside and over to his dad.

“Hey, dad?”

Sly and the taller bug stopped sparring, allowing him to walk over to Mato. Sly responded.

“Yes, Son?”

Mato smiled.

“Can you please watch the kids while I run them a bath?”

Sly nodded. He looked back to the taller bug he had been sparring moments prior.

“Sorry, Iselda. Do you think we could continue this some other time?”

Iselda nodded.

“It’s alright, Sly. I should probably head back home to Corny.”

Sly nodded before following Mato inside. Mato headed to the bathroom, while Sly headed into the kitchen.

Sly saw both children were waiting for their bath near the table. Mato walked into the room, and over to the hatchlings.

“Your bath is ready, little ones.”

The youngsters excitedly followed Mato to the bath. Mato smiled as he heard a thought in his head.

“Syrup leaving! No more sticky!”

Mato turned to the children.

“Do you two know how to bathe yourselves?”

Both children shook their heads. Mato nodded.

“Do you two want me to help you? If not, just let me know.”

The hatchlings thought for a bit before nodding.

Mato nodded in response.

“Alright. If either of you become uncomfortable, just let me know, and I’ll leave.”

Both children jumped into the bath, not bothering to remove their cloaks. Mato chuckled.

“That works.”

Mato wet a rag with the bathwater; wringing it out afterward. He gently scrubbed the youngsters’ masks. He offered the rag to the hatchlings.

“If you want, you can clean the rest of yourselves. I can go just outside the bathroom.”

Both children nodded. Mato headed outside and waited for them to finish. If they need anything, I’m right here.

A short time later, the hatchlings came out of the bathroom. Their shells, masks, and cloaks were free of syrup, much to Mato’s relief. The children followed him to the shop area of Sly’s house. Mato sat down. The youngsters sat down in front of him, slightly tilting their heads in a silent question. Mato spoke.

“Little ones, would it be okay if I took care of you from now on? I don’t know where you came from, but I figure it isn’t a good place for you two to grow up.”

The hatchlings excitedly nodded. Mato and Sly heard a thought in their heads simultaneously.

“New dad! New dad!”

Mato smiled. He gasped shortly after. Sly’s brows furrowed.

“What’s wrong?”

Mato turned to him.

“I never asked them their names.”

Sly nodded.

“You can right now. It’s not too late.”

Mato turned back to his hatchlings.

“What are your names, little ones?”

Both of his children looked at him. He heard a thought in his head, tears forming in his eyes as he did so.

“What are ‘names’?”

Sly rushed outside, cursing under his breath. Mato spoke, trying not to show his anger. _How could their parents not even give them names? That’s the least they could’ve done for_ _them!_

“Names are what someone calls you when they are referring to only you. Like when my dad calls me Mato, or Son.”

His kids nodded. He heard a thought in his head.

“You name us?”

He nodded, tears starting to fall from the corners of his eyes.

“Of course, my hatchlings.”

He looked at both of his children. He looked to the sister of the siblings.

“What do you think of the name ‘Crystal’?”

The sister quickly nodded. A thought flowed through Mato’s head.

“Crystal! Crystal!”

Mato chuckled before turning to Crystal’s brother.

“What are your thoughts on the name ‘Elisha’?”

Her brother nodded. Mato continued.

“What would you two like to do while we wait for my dad to get back?”

Mato smiled as a thought flowed through his head.

“Sleep.”

He responded while pointing to a nearby chair.

“Sounds good. I’ll be sleeping in the chair over there. You two can sleep there too if you want. If not, I’ll tuck you two in.”

He chuckled as his hatchlings ran over to the chair he had pointed to and waited for him. He walked over to the chair, carefully picking up his children. He cautiously sat down in the chair and let his kids nestle into his sides. He frowned as he realized he forgot to grab a blanket to tuck his grubs in.

He watched as the door slowly opened. His dad walked into the room and slowly closed the door, trying to keep from waking the hatchlings. He walked over to a soft blanket and picked it up. He carried it over to his son and his grandgrubs. He gently tucked them all in. Mato smiled and whispered.

“Thank you, Dad.”

Sly shook his head. He whispered back.

“You don’t have to thank me, Mato. I’m just taking care of my grub and his hatchlings.”

Mato’s face grew warm as he whispered.

“Dad, I’m not a grub anymore. I’m a fully grown beetle.”

Sly silently chuckled before whispering.

“I know, Son. I love you.”

Mato smiled.

“Love you too, Dad. Sweet dreams.”

Sly nodded.

“You too.”

Mato watched as his dad headed to his small bedroom located in the basement of the shop. He quickly drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can finally call the children by their names.


	3. Exhausted Escapees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The children go off on an adventure by themselves. They didn't tell anyone where they were going, though. They also go to their new home.

_The next morning_

Mato awoke, feeling a lack of two grubs in his arms. He opened his eyes, glancing around the room to try to figure out where his hatchlings had gone as he slept. _Maybe Dad’s cooking them breakfast?_ He got out of the chair and headed into the kitchen.

He frowned as he noticed a lack of his dad and his children. He walked back into the shop area, fearing the worst. He yelled as ice gripped his insides.

“Dad!”

Sly bolted out of the basement, wiping sleep from his eyes.

“Is the infection at our doorstep, about to consume our minds?!”

Mato stared at the darkness leading to the basement, hoping his kids would come out. He let out a sigh as his hope was crushed. Mato shook his head.

“The grubs are gone, Dad. I don’t know where they went. I woke up this morning, and they were gone! Dad, what if they’re hurt, lost, or worse?!”

Sly frowned then shook his head.

“Mato, they’re grubs. They couldn’t have gone too far.”

Mato nodded.

“Do you think we should split up to look for them?”

Sly nodded in response. They both headed outside. Mato looked at his dad.

“I’ll go below. Do you think you could check the town?”

Sly nodded.

“Be careful, Son.”

Mato nodded before rushing to the well. Sly frowned as Mato disappeared from his view.

“Come back safe.”

Sly walked over to Elderbug, who was standing near the bench, staring at the opposite side of town. Sly looked to the other bug and cleared his throat.

Elderbug whipped around, frowning as he saw Sly.

“I tried to keep them from heading into the well.”

Sly hoped he wasn’t talking about the hatchlings.

“What did they look like?”

Elderbug thought for a moment before replying.

“One had horns that waved away from their mask, along with two horns on each side of their mask that curve downwards.”

Sly interrupted him.

“Did she say where she was going? I imagine she took her brother with her.”

Elderbug shook his head.

“She bolted out of your shop. Unfortunately, she didn’t say where she was taking her brother.”

Sly ran towards the well after thanking Elderbug. He quickly descended the chain. _They couldn’t have gone far. Please be safe, you two. In Wyrm’s name, let them be safe._

Upon reaching the bottom of the chain, he sprinted to his left. _Hopefully, Mato went the other way, so we can find the hatchlings faster._

He ran and jumped, carefully avoiding the platforms that were suspended by chains, along with the various bugs. He jumped into the hole in the floor, revealing a whole new room to him.

On one side, he saw a bug with some maps scattered near him. He ran towards the bug.

“Have you seen two little masked grubs run through here?”

The bug nodded before replying.

“I saw the two run below me. What do you suppose they could have been after?”

Sly shook his head.

“I don’t know, but I need to find them before they get hurt. Thank you, kind bug.”

The bug shook his head.

“I hope you find the little ones.”

Sly nodded before jumping below and looking into a room away from a large drop that revealed spikes along the floor.

There was some sort of steel gate and on the other side, two masked grubs. Both were trying to avoid venom that was being shot at them by an aspid. He ran into the room, desperately searching for a way into the area that was blocked off. He resorted to bashing his nail against the gate.

The gate quickly gave way, allowing him access to the hatchlings in the room. He ran over and jumped in front of them. He glanced over his shoulder.

“You two run into the room I came from and wait for me.”

The siblings nodded and quickly did as told. Sly turned his attention back to the aspid. He gripped his nail and dove towards the bug.

Orange blood splattered all over, quickly covering him. He quickly looked to the ceiling as two more aspids appeared, ready to attack at a moment’s notice. He jumped to a stalagmite and knocked it down.

He turned back to see the stalagmite land on the lower aspid’s head, killing it instantly. He turned to the last aspid.

He rushed forwards, cleaving the aspid with ease. He sprinted into the room where he told the two hatchlings to wait for him.

He let out a sigh when he didn’t see either of the siblings. He heard the bug from earlier talking to two bugs.

“Would you two like me to escort you back to the surface? I may not be that good at fighting, but I can get us back to Dirtmouth quite quickly.”

He jumped up a couple of platforms to see the two grubs listening to the bug from earlier. He walked over to the group. The bug looked at him and hummed. Sly spoke.

“I could escort you and the hatchlings back.”

The bug nodded.

“I’d appreciate that. I’m not the best at fighting. Mapping is more of my forte.”

Sly nodded before looking at the siblings.

“Come on, you two.”

The children nodded.

Sly quickly led the group back to the chain used to access the well. He turned to the siblings.

“I suppose you two know how to climb the chain?”

Crystal and Elisha shook their heads. Sly frowned.

“How did you two get down?”

The bugs simultaneously heard the same thought flow through their heads.

“Jumped.”

The bug turned to Sly.

“I think I might be getting infected. I heard a thought in my head that most definitely wasn’t my own.”

Sly shook his head.

“It was probably the hatchlings.”

The bug frowned.

“Please explain.”

Sly nodded.

“The siblings can talk through other bugs’ thoughts.”

The bug’s brows furrowed.

“They can’t infect anyone like the Old Light by doing that, can they?”

Sly shook his head.

“That’s just how they communicate.”

The bug nodded before turning to the two hatchlings.

“I guess I should let your dad take you two back home, huh?”

Sly looked to his grandgrubs.

“Do you want me to tell him?”

The children nodded after a pause in the conversation. Sly nodded before turning back to the bug.

“They’re my grandgrubs. I was helping my son look for them.”

The bug nodded.

“Alright. I guess I should let you three go?”

Sly nodded.

“It was nice talking to you. Maybe we could talk some more later?”

The bug nodded, allowing Sly to help his grandhatchlings to climb the chain. As Sly and the children reached the top of the chain, he heard a familiar voice yell, happiness evident in their scream.

“You two are okay! Is Dad with you?”

Sly and the hatchlings were wrapped in a hug before being sat back down. Sly looked at his son.

“We need to lock the door when we go to sleep.”

Mato nodded before turning to his hatchlings.

“You two really worried me when I woke up and you two were nowhere to be seen. If you two want to go somewhere, wake me up if I’m asleep, alright? I want to make sure you two stay safe.”

His larva nodded. Him and his dad heard a thought in their heads.

“Still love us?”

Mato smiled.

“Of course, my little hatchlings.”

He looked at his dad.

“I think I’m going to take them to my house. They have the right to know where they are going to live.”

Sly nodded.

Mato looked back at his hatchlings.

“We’re going to go to my house. Can you two tell my dad bye?”

Crystal and Elisha turned to Sly. Without missing a beat, they did as asked. Mato and Sly held back laughter as they heard a thought in their heads.

“Bye, my dad!”

Mato turned to them and smiled.

“We’ll work on that later. Are you two ready to head to your new home?”

They hesitantly nodded. This did not go unnoticed by Mato, however. His smile fell.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’ll come back here.”

His hatchlings nodded. Mato and Sly heard a thought in their heads.

“Promise?”

Mato nodded as Sly responded.

“Mato comes here to visit me a lot, so you two will get to come back a lot.”

Crystal and Elisha grabbed at the air in front of Mato. He smiled.

“Alright, I’ll pick you two up.”

He gingerly picked his grubs up. He looked at his dad.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dad.”

Sly nodded, a yawn escaping him.

“I guess I should head to bed.”

Mato nodded before he yawned.

“Guess we should too.”

Crystal and Elisha nodded, before tugging on his collar. He looked at them, then back at his dad.

“I’m going to take these two home and put them to bed.”

Sly nodded.

“Don’t forget to lock your door.”

Mato frowned.

“Dad, I don’t have a front door, or any doors for that matter.”

Sly sighed.

“Just block it with something until you get one.”

Mato nodded.

“Bye, Dad. Love you.”

Sly smiled.

“Bye, Mato. Love you too.”

Mato quickly got his grubs to his house in the Howling Cliffs. He set them down on the bed in his house.

“Do you two want to go to bed now, or eat a snack first?”

He heard a thought in his head as his hatchlings curled up on the bed.

“Sleep now.”

Mato nodded.

“Sweet dreams, my little grubs.”

He heard a thought in his head.

“Love you, Dad.”

He smiled.

“Love you two, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I herd u liek words


	4. New Information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mato and his kids talk about some stuff. He does not like the information he gets.

_The next morning_

Mato awoke and looked over to see his grubs were still sleeping in the bed. A sigh escaped past his mandibles. _They stayed. Good thing, too. Who knows where they would have run off to._

He looked over to the doorway into his house. _I should block that tonight. I might not have to, but better to be safe than sorry._

He looked back at his hatchlings, who were stirring quietly in their sleep. He gently whispered.

“It’s alright, my little grubs. You’re safe here.”

He headed to the makeshift fridge in his house, grabbing a few tiktiks from its interior. He threw them into a pan on the stove.

His mind wandered as he prepared breakfast for his larva and himself. _What did they go through? Where did they come from? Who were their parents? Did their parents leave them? Abandon them somewhere in the kingdom? If so, why? Were they forced to? Do they have any siblings out there somewhere, scared and alone?_

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a putrid aroma in the air. He quickly turned the fire off on the stove, letting out a sigh as he got a look at the slightly charred tiktiks waiting patiently in the pan.

He got a couple plates from nearby before transferring the tiktiks from the pan to the plates. He gazed at the plates, which only held one tiktik each. _If anyone’s still hungry, I can make more._

He set the plates on the table. He headed back to his grubs.

He quietly spoke.

“Alright, my hatchlings. Your breakfast is ready.”

A thought flowed through his head as Crystal rubbed her eyes.

“Alright.”

He looked over to see Elisha, sitting up, black tears threatening to overflow in his eyes. Concern blossomed inside him.

“Elisha, do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

His son looked at him before a thought flowed through his head.

“Hurts.”

He nodded.

“Can you point to what hurts?”

Elisha pointed to the crack running through his left eye. Mato nodded.

“That seems like it would hurt. Do you want me to see if we have anything to help with the pain?”

A thought flowed through his head.

“Why?”

Mato sat down at the end of the bed, allowing Elisha his space. He looked at his son.

“Because I don’t want you to be in pain.”

He heard a thought in his head.

“Light killed siblings. Hurt inside. Nobody cared.”

Mato frowned.

“Would you like a hug?”

Elisha nodded, scooting closer to his dad. Mato looked behind him to see Crystal was up and watching their dad hug her brother. He smiled.

“Crystal, if you want, you can join the hug.”

She walked over, allowing her dad to hug her as well. Mato turned to her.

“I don’t think we can save your siblings if the Old Light got them.”

Crystal tilted her head as a thought flowed through her dad’s head.

“Old Light?”

Mato nodded.

“She causes a bug’s eyes to glow orange and attack the uninfected.”

He heard a thought in his head.

“Not orange.”

He looked over to his daughter. _If it’s not orange, then is there a new plague? Hallownest can’t handle another infection. Especially while the Old Light is still infecting bugs!_

“What color was the light?”

A thought flowed through his head.

“White.”

His insides turned to ice. There was only one being that emitted a white light. _The Pale King. The King hurt, no… killed hatchlings. He killed children, possibly babies._ His stomach twisted in a mixture of rage and fear. _How many more is he going to kill?_ He looked at his son, who was shaking slightly. He hugged his grubs closer to him. _They didn’t deserve it. Not Crystal, not Elisha, and not their siblings._

“I won’t let him hurt you two anymore.”

He heard a thought in his head. His larva silently cried in his arms as a sense of safety washed over them.

“Thank you.”

He nodded.

“Is it alright if I carry you two to the table?”

He felt them nod against him. He gently scooped his hatchlings into his arms. They dug their little claws into the fluffy collar around his neck.

He got off the bed and carried them to the table. He sat both of his larva in separate chairs, while still keeping them near each other. He turned to ask if they would like their food heated back up, but was cut short as long, black claws emerged from one of each of his hatchlings’ eyes.

He watched as the claws hesitantly poked the tiktiks. _What the?!_ He shook his head. _These are my hatchlings, I’ll get used to it._ Before he could ask his grubs if they wanted something else to eat, the claws tore into the tiktiks. He watched as the claws pulled the torn pieces of the bugs into his hatchlings’ eye sockets. He waited until both of his larva were done eating to speak.

“Do you two want seconds?”

His grubs shook their heads. He nodded.

“Please bring your plates here and push in your chairs.”

His hatchlings nodded, doing as told. He smiled at them.

“You two can go play for a bit, but try not to get too rough. I don’t know of anyone who can fix your masks.”

His larva nodded before chasing each other around the room. Mato chuckled as Elisha ran up to Crystal and tapped her on the shoulder. Elisha quickly bolted away from her. Crystal sprinted after her brother, eager to tag him.

After a while, Elisha walked over to him. He looked at his son as a thought clung to his mind.

“Sleep?”

Mato nodded.

“I’ll tuck you two in as soon as you crawl in bed. Is your sister in bed?”

His grub nodded. Mato followed Elisha to the bed where the hatchlings had slept the night prior. Crystal was already lying in the bed; the blanket haphazardly strewn across it. True to his word, once Elisha had climbed into bed, he tucked him and his sister in. _They need their sleep._

He went to find somewhere else to lay down, but a thought stopped him.

“Dad, sleep? Bed.”

He looked back at his larva, who were staring at him. He smiled and nodded. He crawled into the bed, careful not to smush his hatchlings. He closed his eyes, starting to drift off along with his grubs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: *writes*  
> My brain: Hey, write fluff.  
> Me: Finally! Wait, what's the catch?  
> My brain: *hurts itself in its confusion*  
> Me: No...  
> My brain: Write hurt/comfort.


	5. Cracks in the Surface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mato learns where to take his hatchlings to get their masks looked at, and possibly fixed. They have a long road ahead of them.

_ Later that night _

Mato awoke as a dull pain made itself known in his side. He looked to that side; wondering what caused it. Elisha was tossing and turning in his sleep; his actions barely visible in the darkness.

Before he could do anything, his son bolted upright. His small chest rose and fell erratically. Mato sat up. His thoughts were interrupted by an image of Crystal laying on the ground of a dark area, a black liquid escaping from her mask.

“Sibling!” 

Mato gently laid his hand on his grub’s shoulder.

“Elisha, I need you to look at me.”

Once his hatchling looked at him, he continued.

“I need you to take deep breaths with me, alright?”

Elisha nodded.

Mato took a deep breath in, making sure his larva was doing the same. He then exhaled slowly, watching his son do the same.

After a couple repetitions of the breathing exercise, Mato spoke.

“How are you feeling, bud?”

A thought flowed through his head as his son hugged him.

“Tired.”

Mato nodded.

“Are you ready to go back to bed?”

Elisha nodded as another thought went through his mind.

“Thank you.”

Mato smiled.

“You don’t have to thank me for being here for you, buddy.”

His son curled up against his side, quickly drifting off. Mato smiled and allowed sleep to quickly claim him.

_ In the morning _

Mato awoke to Elisha and Crystal sleeping peacefully next to him. He smiled as he got out of bed. He stretched, his back quietly popping as he did so.

He walked over to the fridge, grabbing a trio of frozen vengeflies. He threw them onto the stove and lit the fire.

Once the flies were thoroughly cooked, he took them off the stove with a spatula. He grabbed three plates from nearby and put one fly on each. He set the plates of food on the table before walking back over to the bed.

He gently woke his grubs.

“Breakfast is ready.”

Crystal and Elisha quickly hopped out of bed and rushed over to the table. Mato joined them at the table.

He watched as the familiar black claws came out of his larvas’ eyes.  _ Can the claws come out of both eyes, or just the uncracked ones? _ He started to eat his breakfast, his grubs doing the same. He saw a claw reach over to his food and poke at it. He followed the clawed tendril to its owner.

“Elisha, if you want more, just ask. You too, Crystal.”

A thought flowed through his head.

“More please.”

Mato nodded before looking over to Crystal.

“Do you want some more too?”

Crystal nodded, then watched as he got out of the chair. He walked over to the fridge, grabbing a couple more vengeflies from its interior. He threw them on the stove and waited for them to cook.

Once the flies had cooked, he turned off the heat. He looked over his shoulder before speaking.

“Can you two please bring your plates over here?”

His hatchlings grabbed their plates and walked over to him. Once they received seconds, they sat back down at the table. Mato joined them.

“I need to ask you two something.”

His grubs looked at him, then tilted their heads.

“I was wondering if you two would like to get your masks fixed. I don’t know if they cause both of you pain, but I at least want to make sure to get them looked at.”

Crystal and Elisha thought for a moment before nodding. Mato replied.

“Alright. I’ll have to find someone who knows how to fix masks first. Maybe somebody in Dirtmouth would know? On our way, we can stop by Sly’s shop.”

He heard a thought flow through his head.

“My dad?”

Mato shook his head and chuckled.

“My dad’s name is Sly, my hatchlings.”

His grubs nodded.

“Sly!”

Mato chuckled and led his hatchlings out of the house. The group travelled to Dirtmouth rather quickly.

Mato knocked on the door to Sly’s shop.

“Dad, is it alright if I come in?”

He was met with his former mentor, now adoptive dad opening the door.

“Mato, you don’t have to ask. You’re always welcome.”

Mato nodded before entering his dad’s shop. He looked to his dad.

“Do you know of anywhere I could get Crystal and Elisha’s masks fixed?”

Sly shook his head.

“I don’t, sorry. Cornifer might know; he travels a lot.”

Mato nodded.

“Alright. We’ll go ask him after we get some food from our house. I’ll also get my nail while we’re there.”

“Hold on a minute.”

Sly flew into the kitchen and grabbed some honey in pint-sized plastic jars. He quickly put five of them into a bag before rushing back into the room where his son and grandgrubs were waiting.

He was greeted by a bemused Mato. He dropped the bag into his son’s hands. His grub looked at him.

“Thank you, Dad.”

Mato looked down at the bag clutched in his hands.

“What’s in this?”

Sly looked at him.

“Honey.”

“Good nutrition and takes essentially forever to spoil. Pretty good choice.”

“The perfect choice for a possible long journey around this kingdom.”

Mato nodded.

“I should probably head to Cornifer’s shop with Crystal and Elisha to see where to get their masks fixed.”

Sly nodded, handing Mato a nail. His son thanked him.

Mato started to head outside with his hatchlings upon telling his dad bye, along with his grubs. Sly quietly spoke, a frown appearing on his face.

“Please come back safe.”

Mato and his larva quickly headed to Cornifer’s shop. Upon heading inside, they were welcomed by a tall bug. She sighed.

“It’s really my husband you three should be dealing with, but he’s headed back down into the kingdom.”

Mato nodded.

“If you want, we can wait until he comes back.”

She shook her head.

“It takes a while for him to come back, so I’ll just sell you whatever you need.”

Mato nodded.

“We aren’t really looking to buy anything at the moment, unfortunately. Do you know of anywhere I could get my children’s masks repaired?”

She thought for a moment before nodding.

“Corny told me of a place far beneath here that had a mask maker of sorts. Maybe he could help you?”

“Do you have a map of the area, perchance?”

She nodded, pulling out a couple maps that led to the area with the mask maker. They were labeled as follows: Forgotten Crossroads, Fungal Wastes, and Deepnest. She also pulled out something that looked like a compass, as well as a quill with ink. She quickly calculated the cost and looked at Mato.

“The maps will be 190 geo, but if you get the quill and compass, it’ll be 530 geo.”

Mato frowned.

“How much would the compass and quill help us?”

“Quite a lot, I assume.”

“We’ll take all of it, then.”

Mato pulled 530 geo from a pocket in his armor. He slid the collection of geo across the counter. Iselda slid the maps, compass, ink, and quill across the surface in return.

Mato nodded and thanked her before leading his hatchlings out of the shop.

Upon getting back outside, he turned to his hatchlings.

“Are you two ready to head to Deepnest to visit the Mask Maker?”

His children nodded.

“Protect us?”

Mato nodded.

“Of course, my grubs.”

He led them down into the well, mentally preparing himself for the long trek ahead of them.


	6. You Are Our Dad (Oogie Boogie Woogie)

After quite a bit of walking around the kingdom, the trio reached Deepnest. Shivers went up everyone’s spines as the sounds of bugs skittering around reached their ears. Crystal and Elisha stepped closer to their dad, looking for comfort.

Mato looked down to them and gave them the best reassuring smile he could muster.

“I’m here. You two will be okay.”

His grubs looked at him before nodding. They grabbed onto his cape, letting him lead them through the darkness.

After a while of walking around, Mato saw a husk walking around. It looked like one of the husks from the Forgotten Crossroads. He quickly dispatched it with a quick slash from his greatnail. He turned back to his hatchlings as it fell to the ground. They continued forward into the darkness.

As the trio walked around the darkness, Mato saw someone familiar. One of his brothers. His brother who he’d thought had put down the nail for good. He caught a glimpse of a paintbrush on his brother’s back. His voice came out, rushed and uneven.

“Sheo, what are you thinking?! You’re in a dangerous part of this kingdom, with nothing to defend yourself with. I know that you love art, but I don’t know how well a paintbrush will protect you.”

He watched as his brother turned away from him and ran into the darkness. He shouted.

“Wait up!”

He scooped his larva into his arms. He sprinted into the darkness his brother ran into.

He found himself in a narrow tunnel.  _ Why would Sheo go through here? Maybe he found a different way into here? _

He continued through the tunnel, getting small glimpses of his brother in the dark. The tunnel opened into a large room; bugs of all sizes hanging from the ceiling, suspended by black threads.  _ Whatever trapped these bugs is strong. I just need to keep my hatchlings safe. _ He shielded his larva’s eyes as he saw their siblings hanging from the ceiling.  _ They don’t need to see that. They’ve been through a lot already. _

He focused his gaze on the middle of the room. Sheo was standing in the middle of a raised section of ground.

He took a couple steps closer to his brother.

“Sheo?”

No reply.  _ Something’s not right. _

He glanced behind him, noticing gates had slammed down into the ground behind him. He walked over to the gates, noticing a small area where his grubs would be safe if things escalated. He gently sat his grubs down on the ground, making sure they wouldn’t be able to see their siblings behind him.

They looked up at him and he heard a thought flow through his head.

“Dad? What’s wrong?”

He looked them in the eyes. He tried to keep his voice steady as tears started to fill his eyes.

“I need you two to stay in this area. No matter what happens, I need you two to stay here.”

He wrapped his hatchlings in a hug as tears started to fall from his eyes. His voice shook.

“I love you both so much. I want you two to know that.”

His grubs gripped his collar as thoughts appeared in his mind.

“Come back safe.  _ Please.” _

He let go of his hatchlings. He wiped black tears from their eyes.

“I’ll try my best.”

He turned back to his brother. He bolted towards him, nail in hand.  _ If that’s whatever trapped these bugs… _

He stopped dead in his tracks as Sheo’s neck snapped and twisted upside down. A black spine erupted from his brother’s back, orange blood dripping onto the floor with quiet  _ plops. _

He took a step back as an orange, glowing belly burst from his brother’s abdomen. His insides turned to ice, freezing him to the spot. The creature let out a loud screech before darting towards him.

A grunt escaped him as a sharp foreleg ripped into his stomach. The creature pulled its foreleg away, allowing green hemolymph to pour from the wound. He looked back to his grubs as his vision started to swim. He thought he saw black tears falling from his hatchlings’ faces.

He tried to take a step towards them, but the ground vanished from beneath his feet. He hit the ground with a  _ thud. _

He heard thoughts run through his mind.

“Dad!”

He saw Elisha take a step forward, trying to reach him. He hissed.

“Elisha, get back!”

His son quickly took a step back.

He thought he heard something, but his ears were ringing so loudly. He watched as his grubs ran towards him and to his side.

He heard thoughts in his head.

“Stay.”

“Please.”

He grabbed a bag of geo, as well as a map of Deepnest from his pocket and handed it to Elisha.

“Go to the Mask Maker. No matter how much you miss me, don’t return to me. I love you, my hatchlings.”

_ I don’t want to hurt them if my body is stolen from me.  _ Something warm rolled down his cheek.  _ I’m sorry, my little grubs. I’m so tired.  _ His eyes closed.

Crystal and Elisha watched as their dad’s eyes closed. Elisha looked at his sister. Jet black tears rolled down both of their faces. He heard a thought flow through his head.

“He’s not. Is he?”

He shook his head and internally screamed.

“He can’t be!”

Elisha shook his dad, tears rolling down his face.

“Dad! Wake up! Please…”

Crystal sat down on the floor, tears running down her face. She started to softly rock back and forth.

“He isn’t. He isn’t. He can’t be.”

She looked back to her dad’s motionless body; her brother laying on the floor, silently sobbing. She got up and walked over to her sibling.

She wrapped him in a hug.

“We’re okay. We’re okay. Someday.”

Elisha turned to her and reciprocated the hug. Crystal looked at the map in his hands.

“We go. Leave. Mask Maker.”

Elisha looked at their dad’s body, then back to his sister. He nodded, wiping tears from both of their faces. He looked over the map before pointing back to the entrance to the room they stood in.

“That way.”

Crystal nodded, letting her brother lead the way to the Mask Maker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up writing this chapter.


	7. It's Not Fair

Upon reaching the area where the Mask Maker stayed, they walked into a narrow tunnel. They entered into a room where a masked figure was diligently working on masks of various shapes and sizes. The figure looked over to them.

“Ah, two vessels in this place? Those are some nasty cracks in your masks. I assume you want them fixed? It’ll cost you quite a bit of geo.”

The masked bug chuckled, beckoning the two children closer. Crystal and Elisha looked at each other before walking over, as instructed. The masked bug looked them over.

“Do you have the geo? It’ll be 4,000 geo for both of you.”

Elisha pulled out the bag of geo his dad gave him. He gave it to the Mask Maker, who poured the geo onto the table. The Mask Maker quickly counted the geo. He looked at the two hatchlings who had watched him the whole time. A frown formed on his face, although it was hidden by the mask.

“You two only have 2,000 geo.”

Elisha and Crystal looked at each other. A thought passed through the Mask Maker’s head, as well as Crystal’s.

“Your mask. Fix.”

Crystal shook her head.

“Your mask. You hurt.”

Elisha shook his head.

“You. Mask need. Fix.”

Crystal turned to the Mask Maker and pointed to her brother.

“Fix. His hurts.”

The Mask Maker let out a sigh before looking over to Elisha.

“Do you two normally bicker like this? You two make me glad I decided not to have hatchlings.”

Elisha shook his head. Crystal and the Mask Maker heard thoughts in their heads.

“Fix sister. Her mask. Fix.”

Crystal looked over to him. Elisha could feel the glare she was giving him. Elisha heard a thought accompanying the glare.

“You. No more. Final.”

Elisha returned the glare.

“Fine.”

The Mask Maker rolled his eyes.

“Alright, brother of the perpetually arguing siblings, get over here.”

Elisha did as instructed; he ended up standing in front of the Mask Maker. The Mask Maker got some salve from nearby and started filling the cracks in Elisha’s mask with it.

After a while, the Mask Maker looked over his work. They nodded in approval before speaking.

“Alright, you two get out. I don’t want to listen to your arguing anymore.”

The two hatchlings nodded before bolting out of the room.

Elisha looked over to his sister.

“Miss dad.”

Crystal nodded.

“Visit before. Then leave.”

Elisha nodded in agreement.

The duo walked back to the room where their dad was waiting for them.

Upon reaching the room, Crystal and Elisha were overjoyed at what they saw. Elisha excitedly screamed, his voice appearing in the heads of any nearby bugs.

“Dad! You okay!”

Their dad turned around. Elisha froze, black tears threatening to overflow in his eyes.  _ It’s not fair! Not Dad! Why? Why Dad?! _

He felt his sister quickly grab his arm.

“We go. Quickly!”

Elisha looked at his sister, black tears dropping from their faces.

“Not Dad. Why? Why Dad?”

Crystal pulled him out of the room. She quickly led him to a large room with a hot spring in the middle, which was marked on the map.

Elisha walked into the water and sat down. Crystal sat down next to him. He turned to her, fresh tears forming in both of their eyes. Crystal was the first to break the silence.

“Want to talk?”

Elisha nodded.

“Don’t understand! Why him? Why Dad? Stupid light! Took Dad. Why?”

Crystal hugged him.

“Don’t know. Be okay someday.”

Both siblings quickly drifted off, masks stained with tears.

_ A couple hours later _

They were awoken by someone shaking them awake. Crystal screamed, causing whoever it was to stop for a moment. Elisha opened his eyes and looked at who had rudely awoken them. She looked like them. Her two horns were curved towards each other near the ends. A red dress draped over her body, much like the cloaks they wore. A thought went through the bug’s head.

“Sibling?”

The bug nodded.

“My name’s Hornet. I’m taking you home with me. Deepnest is no place for grubs like yourselves.”

Elisha nodded. Crystal stared at Hornet.  _ Can we trust her? Will the light get her, too? I don’t want to lose anyone else. _ She nodded. Hornet watched as they got to their feet. She led them to the Stag Station in the Distant Village.

She helped them get up to the station. She walked inside with them, spying a bell standing by itself in the decrepit station. She quickly hit it with her needle. Shortly after, a stag rushed into the station and looked at her, then her two siblings.

“I hope you’ve brought me here to take you three somewhere safer.”

Hornet nodded.

“I was hoping to take my siblings to my home in Greenpath until I am able to get them back to their home safely.”

The stag nodded and allowed the three to get onto his back.

Upon arriving in Greenpath, Hornet escorted her siblings to her home in Greenpath. She parted some leaves on a wall in a tunnel, revealing her home to them.

Once inside, she turned to her siblings.

“Can you two please tell me your names?”

Elisha nodded.

“Elisha.”

Crystal nodded.

“Crystal.”

Hornet nodded before starting to speak again.

“What were you two doing in Deepnest? Surely, you two realized how dangerous it was!”

Crystal started to cry.

“Dad! He… The light...”

Hornet hugged her siblings.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Both of her siblings let their tears flow freely, silently screaming for their dad.

_ Many hours later _

Hornet looked over to her siblings. They had worn themselves out with their crying and had fallen asleep rather quickly.  _ I’ll take them to wherever their home is in the morning. They deserve to rest. _

_ In the morning… _

Crystal and Elisha woke up. They noticed that Hornet was already awake and eating a small creature that appeared to be covered in moss. They walked over to her. A thought flowed through their sister’s head.

“Good morning!”

She looked at them and smiled.

“Good morning to you two, too.”

She gave them each a creature that was identical to the one she was eating.

“You’ll want to eat the moss, too.”

Crystal and Elisha looked at her. Hornet sighed.

“You don’t have to, but it has nutrients in it.”

Her younger siblings nodded, quickly devouring their breakfast with ease. Hornet spoke.

“I’m going to take you two back to your homes today. Where do you two live?”

She heard a thought in her head.

“Dirtmouth. Live with Grandpa Sly now?”

Hornet nodded.

“Yes, you’d live with him now.”

“Tell him?”

“He’d probably want to know what happened to his son.”

Hornet quickly took her siblings to the nearby stag station. She saw that the stag from earlier was gone. She quickly hit the bell with her needle, the ringing echoing off the walls. She watched as the stag rushed into the room, then looked at her and her siblings.

“Are you taking the little ones home by chance?”

Hornet nodded.

“Can you please take us to Dirtmouth? They’re going to live with their grandpa.”

The stag nodded and allowed the trio to get on his back.

The stag took them to the station in Dirtmouth. Hornet got off of his back and helped her siblings do the same. She thanked the stag before leading her siblings out of the station.

Crystal and Elisha quickly spotted Sly’s shop and pulled Hornet over to it. Crystal started knocking on the door; Elisha joined in, causing Hornet to chuckle.

“Just one of you has to knock.”

Sly opened the door, a pit forming in his stomach.

“Where is my son?”

Hornet let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry. He got infected. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Sly shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

Crystal and Elisha turned to Hornet. A thought flowed through Hornet and Sly’s heads.

“Bye, Hornet. Thank you.”

Sly thanked her as well. He allowed his grandgrubs into his home.

He closed the door and sat down in a chair. He looked over to Crystal and Elisha.

“Are you two okay?”

Both children shook their heads and joined their grandpa in the chair. Sly wrapped his arms around them as best he could as the three started to cry. He spoke, his words matching the thoughts in his head.

“I’m sorry.”


	8. Don't Forget

_ The next morning _

Sly awoke and felt his grandgrubs quivering against his sides. He looked down at them.

“Do you two want to talk about it?”

Crystal shook her head while Elisha nodded. Sly heard a thought in his head as Crystal looked at him.

“I walk around town?”

Sly nodded. She heard a thought in her head as her brother looked at her.

“Let you know. When breakfast ready.”

Crystal nodded, jumping out of the chair. She rushed over to the door and out into the town.

She walked over to the bench in the middle of the small village and sat down. She listened as an older looking bug and a taller bug talked nearby.

“The Wastelands near the Howling Cliffs should be blocked off. If any bugs get up there and wander into it, they’ll forget whatever memories they have.”

“What bug is going to be able to get up to the entrance to this tiny, nearly abandoned town?”

Crystal listened.  _ I can forget. Can forget painful memories. _

She got off the bench and walked over to the cliff leading to her dad’s house. She jumped up and dug her claws into the cliffside. She climbed up the cliff and looked back at her grandpa’s shop.  _ Sorry, Elisha. Sorry, Grandpa Sly. Hurts too much. See you someday. _

She turned away from the town and headed into King’s Pass. She ran past the mindless small bugs, quickly making her way to the entrance to the Howling Cliffs. She jumped up into the narrow, vertical tunnel and started to climb up.

_ Meanwhile, in Dirtmouth _

Sly quickly got the tiktiks off the stove. He grabbed four plates from nearby.  _ Got a plate for my grandgrubs, myself, and… _

He felt a tear slip down his cheek as his heart dropped.  _ Right. He’s… _

He wouldn’t finish that thought. He put the extra plate away and put one tiktik on each plate. He turned to Elisha.

“Can you please go get your sister while I get the forks and napkins?”

Elisha nodded before running outside. He walked over to the bench. He looked around town, not spying any trace of his sister. He ran back to his grandpa, stomach dropping as fear started to grow inside him.

“Grandpa Sly! Crystal’s gone!”

Sly whipped around.

“Help me look for her. She couldn’t have gotten too far.”

The two skittered outside. Elisha’s heart pounded in his chest.  _ I can’t lose her too! _

Sly noticed footprints matching Crystal’s leading to the cliff. He turned to Elisha.

“Stay here.”

Elisha nodded, watching as his grandpa flew up to the entrance to King’s Pass.

Sly landed on the ground, noticing the footprints continued into King’s Pass. His wings buzzed as concern and worry started to form. He walked into the entrance to Dirtmouth and followed the footprints to a narrow, vertical tunnel that led into the Howling Cliffs.

_ Meanwhile, near the edge of the Howling Cliffs _

Crystal stood at the entrance to the Wastelands beyond the kingdom. She took a step into the beyond.  _ I’m sorry. _

Another step.  _ I don’t want to remember what happened. _

Yet another step.  _ I can’t. It hurts too much. _

She automatically walked further.  _ Please don’t come looking for me. _

Before she knew it, she was in the middle of the Wastelands. White ash blew all around her. She walked around for a while before stumbling across a broken nail. She picked it up.  _ Who left this here? _

_ Meanwhile, in the Howling Cliffs _

Sly followed the footprints and frowned upon finding where they led.  _ What was she thinking? Why would she go into the Wastelands? _

He let out a sigh.  _ I can’t go after her. Going after her risks forgetting why I went into the Wastelands in the first place. Even worse, the risk of forgetting my grandgrubs. _

He let himself shed a couple tears before making the trip back to Dirtmouth. Elisha rushed over to greet him but stopped short once he realized his sister was nowhere to be seen, and worse, his grandpa looked like he had been crying.  _ Something bad happened. _ Sly heard a thought in his head.

“What happened, Grandpa Sly?”

He hugged his grandson close.

“She left the kingdom.”

Elisha tilted his head, so Sly continued.

“She won’t be the same when she comes back to the kingdom.  _ If  _ she comes back, that is.”

Elisha started to silently sob as Sly whispered quiet apologies to him.  _ I’m not good enough. Nobody I care about stays around. Is Grandpa Sly going to leave, too? I don’t want to lose anyone else! _

He buried his face in his grandpa’s shoulder as the tears continued.


	9. Amnesia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: talk about amnesia, hurt/comfort, everyone’s having a rough time, nobody gets hurt, there’s just a lot of emotions and stuff

_ A couple days later _

Crystal walked into the small town she had seen from the cliff. A fly and a bug that looked like her ran up to her. She pulled a broken nail from her back and pointed it at them. A thought flowed through Elisha and Sly’s heads.

“I will fight if have to.”

The fly shook his head as a frown appeared on his face and his voice quivered.

“We don’t mean you any harm.”

She heard a thought in her head.

“Sis?”

She looked around until eventually, her gaze fell upon the bug that looked like her. Black tears were rolling down his face. A feeling tickled in her brain.  _ Why does he look so familiar? Do I know him? Why did he refer to me as his sister? The fly also looks a bit familiar, but less. Do I know these bugs? _

She was snapped out of her thoughts as the fly spoke.

“Would you like to eat lunch with us?”

She nodded.  _ They seem friendly enough. Maybe I’ll figure out why they seem so familiar? _

She allowed the fly to lead her into his house. She noticed the bug that referred to her as his sister following her closely. She heard another thought in her mind.

“Crystal, what’s wrong?”

“Are we actually siblings?”

“Yes! Came out of the same egg. In Darkness.”

She nodded.  _ I guess we are siblings, then. _ She looked back at her brother.

“Don’t remember your name.”

Elisha nodded.

“Elisha. Nice to see you again. Was worried.”

She gave her sibling a hug.

“Nice to see you again, too.”

Elisha hugged her back.

Her and her brother walked into Sly’s house.

She looked around the house. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as a sinking feeling settled in her stomach.  _ I know this place… I think I lived here at one point… Someone’s missing. Who’s missing? Dad? Dad. He’s missing. What happened?  _ She frantically grabbed at a memory through the fog clouding her mind.  _ He died? He… died.  _ Black tears started rolling down her face.

She looked over to Elisha. He looked at her before giving her a hug.

“It’s okay, sis.”

She buried her face in his shoulder as she sobbed.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone there! I should have stayed. You needed me and I just…”

She felt someone rubbing her back. A familiar voice spoke.  _ Grandpa… Sly? Grandpa Sly. _

“Crystal, it’s okay. We forgive you.”

Elisha nodded, hugging his sister close.  _ I’m so tired. _ She heard a thought in her head before she let herself drift off.

“We don’t have to go through alone. We go through together.”

Sly took her from Elisha. He quietly spoke to his grandson.

“Are you ready to go to bed?”

Elisha nodded, rushing into the other room. Sly followed him, quickly finding he was already in bed.

Sly laid Crystal down in the bed. He covered both of his grandgrubs with the blanket.

“Sweet dreams, both of you. Love you.”

Sly walked out of the room, turning the light off on the way out.


	10. Please, Bring Him Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Child kidnapping, violence, hurting a child

_The next morning_

Sly awoke and hastily got out of bed. _I should get breakfast ready for my grandgrubs before I get them up._ He walked into the kitchen.

He grabbed a couple tiktiks from the fridge, throwing them on the stove in a flash. Upon cooking them to his grandkids’ liking, he put one each on a duo of plates.

He quickly set them on the table. Flicking the stove off on his way, he flew into the room where his grandgrubs slept. His grandkids revealed themselves from a lump in the blanket as he started to speak.

“Breakfast is ready. You’ll probably want to eat it before it gets cold.”

He jumped back slightly as Crystal and Elisha bolted from the bed and into the kitchen. He followed them shortly after, being greeted by the sight of clawed tendrils coming from their eyes and ripping into the tiktiks. After they finished eating, he looked at them and waited until he had their attention.

“Would you two like to go to the Resting Grounds to get stuff to make a memorial for your dad?”

Crystal and Elisha nodded as Sly put their plates in the sink. The trio walked out of the house shortly after, headed for the stag station in town.

Upon reaching the stag station and riding the lift, they were greeted by the sight of the stag standing in the station. The stag looked at the trio.

“Where would you three like to go?”

Sly replied.

“Can you please take us to the Resting Grounds?”

The stag solemnly shook his head.

“The station there has been closed off for quite some time. If it were open, I could. I could take you three to the City of Tears Storerooms.”

Sly nodded and helped Crystal and Elisha onto the stag’s back. He quickly got on beside them, allowing the stag to rush through the stagways to the City Storerooms.

Upon reaching the storerooms, the trio got off of the stag’s back and headed into the City of Tears. Sly led the group, nail in hand and poised to protect his grandkids if needed.

The group came to a halt as a large bug teleported in front of them. Sly immediately noticed the orange eyes of the bug and yelled over his shoulder at his grandgrubs.

“You two, run!”

He looked back to where the bug was, only to be greeted by empty air. He spun around as a yell echoed inside his head.

“Grandpa Sly!”

He rushed forward as the sight of the bug tightly grasping his grandson sent fear and anger through his body. He thrust his nail out, only to be hit in the head from the side.

He crashed to the ground, wings buzzing as he tried to stay awake and get up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Crystal try to rush the bug, only to meet the same fate. He heard a scream in his head before he passed out.

“Grandpa Sly, please don’t let him take me!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all thought it was finally going to be happy. We were all wrong.


	11. A/N: Update About This Fic

I'm probably not going to finish this fic. Really, when I started writing this, I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and some stuff that happened to me. As I've started feeling safer and started processing and healing from the stuff that happened to me (I'm still healing), I began to dislike what was happening in this fic. That feeling only grows as I heal. Maybe it's because it's a reflection of how my mental state/mental health was? I don't know. This might have turned into a ramble. I'm probably going to restart this under a new name (probably anyway, on the new name thing). In the new version/updated version/author is healing version (I don't know what it would be called), it's probably going to be happier because, really, I think the only reason this kept getting so dark and sad was because essentially, this fic had turned into a vent for my feelings and stuff, feelings that I wasn't acknowledging, but now I am. The main feelings were fear and anxiety, which would explain why they're prominent feelings in this.

TL:DR - Author is healing from stuff and now is restarting this under a new name.


	12. A/N: Name for New Version

I think I'll call it something along the lines of "A Pale Duo's Family Journey".

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter was long and took a while to write but it was worth it.


End file.
